2012 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs 41-60

These 2012 Fantasy Football Running Backs Rankings will be updated often throughout the summer, so make sure you check back from time to time. Also, be sure to check out my other 2012 Fantasy Football articles, which will include sleepers, busts, tons of 2012 Fantasy Football mock drafts and other material. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Kendall Hunter, RB, 49ers. Bye: 9. AUG. 20 UPDATE: I really love what I see out of Kendall Hunter. He runs really hard and keeps his legs churning, plus he's effective in the passing game. He's a great, late-round sleeper, especially now in the wake of Brandon Jacobs' knee injury. Jacobs was injured on his first carry at Houston, so he could be out for a while. This really opens things up for Hunter, who will get lots of playing time if Frank Gore gets hurt again. Hunter rushed for 46 yards on just six carries.

Kendall Hunter is a semi-intriguing handcuff. Frank Gore gets hurt often, so Hunter could have the opportunity to start some games in 2012. Unfortunately, LaMichael James and Brandon Jacobs will be there to steal touches.

Roy Helu, RB, Redskins. Bye: 10. SEPT. 1 UPDATE: With Tim Hightower gone, Roy Helu will have command of all third-down duties, making him a solid, late-round flier in PPR formats. Don't expect him to be an every-down ball-carrier though, as Mike Shanahan doesn't have confidence in his durability.

AUG. 15 UPDATE: It's looking like Roy Helu will miss this week's preseason game with Achilles' tendinitis. This is definitely not helping Helu, who was already deemed too brittle to handle a full workload by his coaching staff. It appears as though Evan Royster will be the Redskins' starting running back this year.

AUG. 11 UPDATE: Roy Helu didn't see any action with the first-team offense in the preseason opener. He rushed the ball just four times for 17 yards, though it must be noted that he had two gains wiped out by penalties. It's not a good sign for Helu though because the coaching staff continues to believe that he's just a change-of-pace back. The coaches told the media that their concern with Helu is his inability to break through tackles. It doesn't look like they'll be changing their mind anytime soon.

JULY 24 UPDATE: Multiple reports cite that Tim Hightower is slated to be the starting running back for the Redskins. Mike Shanahan apparently envisions Roy Helu as a change-of-pace runner because of how he wore down as his rookie campaign progressed.

JUNE 10 UPDATE: Coming off a torn ACL, Tim Hightower hasn't been cleared to practice yet. This is terrific news for Roy Helu, who may not have to share too many touches with Hightower after all.

Roy Helu carried the ball 11-plus times on just four occasions last year. He had at least 100 rushing yards in three of those contests. He also caught 49 balls for 379 receiving yards. I want to like Captain Helu a lot, but Mike Shanahan plays too many games with his running backs. For all we know, he could fall in love with Evan Royster or stubbornly feed the ball to a recovering Tim Hightower of Oldtown.

Ryan Williams, RB, Cardinals. Bye: 10. AUG. 19 UPDATE: Ryan Williams finally saw the field. He started for the Cardinals against the Raiders with Chris Wells still out, and he looked pretty good. He ran for 25 yards and a touchdown on five carries. His score was a conversion from the 3-yard line, so his ability to get short yardage is good news if Arizona opts to roll with him as its starter at some point this season. Williams seems healthy, so he's worth drafting around Round 10 as a running back with upside.

JUNE 19 UPDATE: Ryan Williams has appeared to be pretty healthy coming off a torn patellar tendon. It's looking like he'll be ready for the beginning of training camp. He could easily take touches away from Chris Wells.

Ryan Williams missed his rookie campaign because of a torn patellar tendon. Fortunately, he's already running and making cuts on his knee. Chris Wells tends to get hurt a lot, so Williams could turn into a fantasy star this season, given the right set of circumstances.

Michael Bush, RB, Bears. Bye: 6. AUG. 20 UPDATE: Matt Forte started against the Redskins, but it was Michael Bush who scored twice with the first team. Bush replaced Forte each time the Bears entered the Redskins' 10-yard line, scoring quite easily from one and eight yards out. When Bush found the end zone the second time, one of the Bears' announcers remarked, "That's the reason they got him." Bush is going to score a bunch of touchdowns this year.

Matt Forte is holding out, so Michael Bush could get more work than initially expected. At the very worst, Bush will serve as Chicago's goal-line back. The Bears' offense will be more explosive with Brandon Marshall in the fold, so Bush will have plenty of opportunities to score.

Toby Gerhart, RB, Vikings. Bye: 11.
Toby Gerhart played well when Adrian Peterson was hurt last year. He rushed for 531 yards on a 4.9 YPC and also caught 23 balls for 190 receiving yards. He has RB2 potential, but know that you're only getting a rental until Peterson comes back.

Shane Vereen, RB, Patriots. Bye: 9. AUG. 11 UPDATE: Shane Vereen didn't play until the second half of the exhibition opener, but he was exceptional. He displayed great quickness and cutting ability, gaining 64 yards on 11 carries. He can serve as a dangerous weapon for Brady out of the backfield, so he needs to be on the field more often with the first-stringers. I can't imagine Bill Belichick keeping him sidelined for long. He's just way too talented.

JULY 26 UPDATE: Joseph Addai has been released, which will open the door for more opportunities for Shane Vereen. Stevan Ridley is still expected to be the every-down back, but Vereen will definitely be utilized. He's worth picking up in the mid- to late-rounds.

Like Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen will need to earn Bill Belichick's trust. Once he does, he could become a big producer in New England's offense. Tom Brady will love dumping the ball off to him in the backfield.

Taiwan Jones, RB, Raiders. Bye: 5.
Taiwan Jones spelled Darren McFadden and then received a bunch of touches once McFadden was pulled against the Lions. It was astonishing how fast he was; he blazed for 50 yards on 10 carries. He should be heavily considered as a McFadden handcuff because he'll be a big producer if given the chance.

Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Falcons. Bye: 7. AUG. 3 UPDATE: It's always a good sign when a coach compliments a running back on his pass-protection skills because that means that player will be on the field on passing downs at the very least. Mike Smith did this with Jacquizz Rodgers, who will be a bigger part of the offense with Michael Turner wearing down.

Head coach Mike Smith indicated that Michael Turner will have less of a workload in 2012. Part of the reason is because Turner is rapidly declining. The other part is Jacquizz Rodgers. A fifth-round pick in 2011, Rodgers is expected to be a focal part of Atlanta's offense. He's only 5-6, 196, so he won't be able to carry the ball 20 times every week or anything, but there's no denying his play-making ability.

Evan Royster, RB, Redskins. Bye: 10. AUG. 26 UPDATE: Evan Royster may have lost his starting job. Alfred Morris piled up 107 yards and a score against the Colts. Tim Hightower also looked healthy in limited action. Royster is currently nursing a minor knee injury.

AUG. 20 UPDATE: Evan Royster was relegated to third-down duties at Chicago because Alfred Morris started at running back. Royster was given only two carries, but turned those into 20 rushing yards. His stock obviously has to take a hit - I almost forgot how big of a douche bag Shanahan can be.

AUG. 15 UPDATE: Evan Royster will once again draw the start for the Redskins this weekend, as Roy Helu will likely be out with Achilles' tendinitis. Mike Shanahan doesn't think Helu can handle a full workload, so this will further convince him that he's right. Royster is the overwhelming favorite to be the starting running back.

AUG. 3 UPDATE: Evan Royster has gotten most of the first-team reps in training camp thus far. Tim Hightower is hurt and the coaching staff views Roy Helu as a change-of-pace back, so once again, there's a good chance Royster will be the starting running back for the Redskins this season.

JULY 29 UPDATE: So, Tim Hightower is still hurt. Roy Helu is just a change-of-pace back. Who's going to shoulder the workload if Hightower can't play? It could be Evan Royster. Crazier things have happened in Mike Shanahan's backfields. Royster has the potential to post RB2 numbers, as we saw when he rushed for 245 yards in the final two games of the season last year, so he's worth snagging in the final rounds.

Evan Royster was impressive when Roy Helu went down at the end of the year, rushing for a combined 245 yards on just 39 carries (6.3 YPC) against the Vikings and Eagles to close out the year. He also had five catches for 52 receiving yards at Philadelphia. He can be a solid RB2 if given the chance. Unfortunately, he's playing behind Captain Helu and Tim Hightower of Oldtown.

Ronnie Brown, RB, Chargers. Bye: 7. AUG. 19 UPDATE: Ronnie Brown saw most of the first-team touches with Ryan Mathews out against the Cowboys. He rushed for 16 yards on six yards, but more impressively caught four balls for 37 receiving yards. It's proof that he can be a serviceable fantasy running back on the multiple occasions in which Mathews will be injured this season.

AUG. 10 UPDATE: With Ryan Mathews out for six weeks, Ronnie Brown will be the opening-day starter. He's worth drafting around Round 10. Mathews will be back around Week 3, but he'll get hurt again. He always does.

Ronnie Brown signed with the Chargers on Friday. He had absolutely nothing left in the tank last season, but he's a fantasy factor now because he'll get touches if Ryan Mathews is out of the lineup. It's possible that Mathews could have a big 2012 campaign - a popular, but contrarian fantasy Web site is touting him ceaselessly - but he will probably suffer some sort of injury because he's so brittle. Brown is a decent, late-round handcuff.

Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Steelers. Bye: 4. AUG. 18 UPDATE: Rashard Mendenhall has been activated off the PUP. He's still not expected to suit up in September, but it's looking like he'll be available sooner than previously anticipated. He's once again worth a late-round flier.

JUNE 19 UPDATE: Peter King wrote Monday that Rashard Mendenhall is nowhere near ready to play football. It's looking like he'll be on the PUP list to begin the season, meaning he won't be available until the middle of the year.

Rashard Mendenhall tore his ACL in Week 17 last year. He could play in 2012, but he'll begin the year on the PUP list. Don't take a chance on him until the final couple of rounds.

LeGarrette Blount, RB, Buccaneers. Bye: 5. AUG. 11 UPDATE: Despite reports that Doug Martin was the star of Tampa's training camp, LeGarrette Blount drew the start in the preseason opener and didn't disappoint. Blount ran with great power and broke numerous tackles. He rushed for 30 yards and a touchdown (coming via 4th-and-goal at the 1) on seven carries. Blount even caught a 3-yard pass, though he did lose a third-down rep to Martin. Still, Blount's surprise performance puts him back on the fantasy radar.

The coaching staff hated LeGarrette Blount last year because he could not learn how to pass protect. Doug Martin, drafted in the first round, will have more touches than Blount. Blount, however, will still get goal-line carries and stuff like that.

Pierre Thomas, RB, Saints. Bye: 6.
Mark Ingram can't seem to stay healthy. Pierre Thomas isn't complaining. Thomas took full advantage of Ingram's lingering injuries last year and finished with close to 1,000 total yards (562 rushing, 425 receiving). His workload will likely be reduced a bit, but he should still be a decent flex option, especially in PPR leagues.

Vick Ballard, RB, Colts. Bye: 4. AUG. 20 UPDATE: Donald Brown rushed for 30 yards and a touchdown on six carries at Pittsburgh, but lost some series to rookie Vick Ballard, who gained 34 yards on 10 attempts. Ballard looked pretty good, though he was stuffed twice at the goal line. He's worth a late-round pick as a high-upside flier.

Vick Ballard is listed ahead of Delone Carter on Indianapolis' initial depth chart. This new Colts' front office handpicked Ballard to be their guy. Carter, who was unimpressive last year, is listed as the No. 4 running back. Remember that Carter was part of the old regime. He may not make the final roster.

Daniel Thomas, RB, Dolphins. Bye: 7. AUG. 30 UPDATE: Daniel Thomas apparently is in Joe Philbin's doghouse, per Hard Knocks. Good. I never liked Thomas anyway. He's a crappy, backup running back in an offense that could easily put up the fewest points in the NFL this year.

The Dolphins drafted running back Lamar Miller in the fourth round this past April, but don't let that affect your opinion on Daniel Thomas. Miller and Thomas are two completely different running backs, and the latter was definitely not going to sniff any receptions anyway. Thomas is definitely worth acquiring via a mid-round selection because Reggie Bush will probably miss some time this season.

Daryl Richardson, RB, Rams. Bye: 9.
If you're looking for a handcuff for Steven Jackson, you'll want Daryl Richardson instead of Isaiah Pead. Richardson played ahead of Pead in the preseason finale, prompting one of the Ram announcers to declare, "You talk about Daryl Richardson taking carries away from Isaiah Pead... Richardson will be on the field regardless of Pead." It's true. Not only has Richardson been the more impressive runner; he also hasn't had the fumbling and blocking issues that Pead has been guilty of.

Jahvid Best, RB, Lions. Bye: 5. AUG. 16 UPDATE: Adam Schefter is reporting that Jahvid Best is likely to open the season on the PUP list, meaning he won't be eligible to play in the first six weeks of the season. This is obviously a devastating blow to his draft stock, making him nothing more than a late-round flier.

JUNE 19 UPDATE: Jahvid Best is looking great at OTAs, prompting general manager Martin Mayhew to suggest that his running back will have a "breakout" season. It's not out of the question that it could happen, but Best's greatest challenge is staying healthy. He's worth taking in Round 5 of a 12-man league.

I'm all for taking a chance on an injury-prone player if he falls and gives you good value, but you can't draft Jahvid Best in the early rounds. He's had so many concussions in his football career that if he has one more, he could be knocked out for the season, if not longer. It's a shame because he's so damn talented.

Felix Jones, RB, Cowboys. Bye: 5.
I loved Felix Jones as a sleeper last year, but I made the foolish mistake of ignoring his injury history. Jones naturally suffered multiple maladies in 2011, eventually losing his job to DeMarco Murray on a permanent basis. Murray isn't exactly immune to injury himself, so Jones is worth picking up in the later rounds, especially in PPR formats.

Robert Turbin, RB, Seahawks. Bye: 11. AUG. 25 UPDATE: With Marshawn Lynch out again at Kansas City, Robert Turbin started and performed well, rushing for 93 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Keep him in mind as a waiver-wire addition if Lynch misses regular-season action.

Marshawn Lynch is likely to be suspended for his DUI, which means that rookie Robert Turbin will probably start. Several reports indicate that Turbin has been highly impressive in training camp.

James Starks, RB, Packers. Bye: 10. AUG. 13 UPDATE: James Starks really struggled in the Packers' preseason opener. He also has turf toe. All of this prompted Green Bay to acquire Cedric Benson, which means Starks is no longer draftable in any format.

I thought the Packers would bring in some competition for James Starks via the 2012 NFL Draft. They didn't, so that might mean that they're confident in his ability to shoulder the workload. Ryan Grant is gone, so Starks has the potential for a pretty big 2012 campaign - if he can stay healthy, that is.

Bernard Pierce, RB, Ravens. Bye: 8. AUG. 18 UPDATE: Bernard Pierce finished with one yard on four carries, but that stat is misleading. Pierce took a 14-yard loss on one play for a number of reasons, but it didn't even matter because there was a 15-yard face mask penalty. Pierce should have tallied 15 yards on three attempts, all of which came against Detroit's starting unit. He's worth adding in the late rounds as a handcuff for Ray Rice.

AUG. 1 UPDATE: Bernard Pierce recently suffered his second hamstring injury of the offseason. This means that Anthony Allen could be Baltimore's No. 2 running back.

Alex Green, RB, Packers. Bye: 10. JULY 29 UPDATE: Alex Green missed all of last year with a torn ACL, but he has been medically cleared for training camp. He's been a full participant in practices. Green is one injury away to the always-hurt James Starks from becoming Green Bay's starting running back. Make sure you spend a late-round pick on him.

JULY 19 UPDATE: Alex Green is one of my favorite late-round sleepers. He's coming off a torn ACL, but that happened early enough in 2011 that it now appears that he'll be ready to play in the preseason. He was cutting in a practice a couple of weeks ago. Assuming he has no setbacks, he'll be ready to take over for James Starks if the injury-prone runner suffers another malady.

I mentioned in James Starks' entry that the Packers not drafting a running back could mean good things for him. It could also mean that the front office has confidence in Alex Green, a third-round pick in 2011. Green had just three carries last year because of a torn ACL, but it sounds like he'll be ready for training camp. Green caught 27 balls as a senior at Hawaii in 2010, so he could serve as Green Bay's third-down back, if anything.

Dan Herron, RB, Bengals. Bye: 8.
We'll know if Dan Herron is any good if he gets some playing time this year. His competition is BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Bernard Scott. Herron's worth taking a shot on in the later rounds.

Mike Tolbert, RB, Panthers. Bye: 6.
Carolina's front office must hate fantasy football because they are hoarding all of the running backs. Mike Tolbert was brought in to catch the ball out of the backfield, but he won't get many carries.

Ronnie Hillman, RB, Broncos. Bye: 7. AUG. 15 UPDATE: Ronnie Hillman re-injured his hamstring Tuesday. Hillman has already missed a week and a half with the same problem, so it's now tough to imagine him challenging for much playing time early in the season, especially considering how John Fox hates using rookies. Don't draft Hillman until the final couple of rounds, if at all.

JUNE 19 UPDATE: Ronnie Hillman has not practiced with the first team during OTAs. John Fox has a habit of leaning on veterans, so there's a good chance that Hillman won't see much action during his rookie campaign, despite Willis McGahee's regression and Knowshon Moreno's ineptitude.

Ronnie Hillman should see action right away as the change-of-pace back behind Willis McGahee. The upside is that McGahee is wearing down, so Hillman could get lots of playing time toward the end of the year.

LaMichael James, RB, 49ers. Bye: 10.
I don't know what the 49ers plan on doing with all of these running backs they've collected. LaMichael James surely will catch passes, but he'll only be part of a timeshare even if Frank Gore goes down yet again.

Montario Hardesty, RB, Browns. Bye: 10.
My condolences to anyone who had Montario Hardesty on their dynasty team. Trent Richardson won't be coming off the field very much. Hardesty is only worth drafting as a desperation handcuff in the final rounds.

Tim Hightower, RB, Redskins. Bye: 10. SEPT. 1 UPDATE: Tim Hightower's knee didn't respond well to the brief workload he shouldered in the third preseason game, so Mike Shanahan decided to give up on him. Hightower was released Friday.

AUG. 26 UPDATE: Tim Hightower rushed for 28 yards on five carries versus the Colts in his first action back from an ACL tear. He's worth drafting late because he could easily be Mike Shanahan's starter.

JULY 29 UPDATE: The media has speculated all offseason that Tim Hightower would be Washington's featured runner. Well, Hightower is "not close to 100 percent," according to Mike Shanahan. This could change in a month and a half, but stay away from Hightower for now until the final rounds of your fantasy draft.

Multiple reports cite that Tim Hightower (of Oldtown) is slated to be the starting running back for the Redskins. Tim Hightower has to overcome his ACL tear, of course, but he's worth picking up in the later rounds while others are more focused on Roy Helu.